With an unfortunate abundance of traffic jams and train delays, getting to and from work can sometimes be a job in itself — and a stressful one at that. But your surroundings might just hold the solution you’ve been looking for.

Science backs this up: A recent study from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) shows that commuting through stretches of nature everyday can work wonders for your well-being.

But just how much of an impact could this have on your morning or evening travel? It’s helpful to note that almost 3,600 people from cities in the UK, Netherlands, Spain, and Lithuania weighed in on their commuting experiences using questionnaires. The researchers eventually found that the mental health score of people traveling through nature on their daily commute was 2.74 points higher, on average, than those who did so less often.

And the people who took part in “active commuting,” such as “walking or cycling,” did even better in this department.

Wilma Zijlema, an ISGlobal researcher and first author of the study, commented on it in a statement, looping in even more context for readers:

“From previous experimental studies we knew that physical activity in natural environments can reduce stress, improve mood, and mental restoration when compared to the equivalent activity in urban environments. Although this study is the first of its kind to our knowledge and, therefore, more research will be needed, our data show that commuting through these natural spaces alone may also have a positive effect on mental health,” the researcher said.

The spaces that apply to this research are probably the ones you’re already thinking of: environments featuring blue and/or green natural resources, like trees, parks, and bodies of water.

People commuting through nature every day were also “likely to be active commuters.”

Chances are, working a little more outside activity into your daily commute could be beneficial in more ways than one. But even if you can’t, taking a nice, long look outside your window will help your mental well-being, too.

Follow us here and subscribe here for all the latest news on how you can keep Thriving.

Stay up to date or catch-up on all our podcasts with Arianna Huffington here.

Jane is an Editorial Fellow at Thrive Global. She joined the team after working as a reporter for Ladders News, where she wrote about the ways we live and work, covered events, and interviewed authors about their latest career-related books. She also worked as an Assistant Virtual Reality Producer at Reuters after college. Additionally, she interned at CNBC Global Headquarters for four summers — before and during her undergraduate years — through The Emma Bowen Foundation. Jane has a BA in Broadcast Journalism from American University in Washington, D.C.

Share your comments below. Please read our commenting guidelines before posting. If you have a concern about a comment, report it here.

Your Daily Commute Could Be Killing Your Mojo at Work. Here’s How to Cope.

Sign up for the Thrive Global newsletter

“People look for retreats for themselves, in the country, by the coast, or in the hills . . . There is nowhere that a person can find a more peaceful and trouble-free retreat than in his own mind. . . . So constantly give yourself this retreat, and renew yourself.”